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During that break-in the intruder had got in by removing a pane from the conservatory window before carrying out an untidy search and taking property worth £3,000 including the items Dobbins accepted receiving.

Mr Douglas-Jones added that Dobbins had a large number of previous convictions for dishonesty, including handling stolen goods and five for domestic burglaries.

He had only been released from his last burglary sentence in July, and has since been recalled to serve the rest of that sentence as well as a sentence for assaulting a prison officer.

Recorder Martine Kushner commented: “My immediate reaction is that nothing seems to have worked with him, and maybe we’d better keep him off the streets for as long as possible.”

David Murray, defending, said that before his release on licence from the four-year sentence imposed in 2014, Dobbins had been told he would be given a hostel place and assistance to sort himself out.

But when he was freed ‘he received none of this,’ and found that benefit claims were not dealt with on a face-to-face basis, but online.

“He is not computer literate, and he asked for help, but it was not forthcoming, although he doesn’t blame other people for what he did,” added Mr Murray.